Remembering 9/11

Remembering 9/11

It’s rainy and gray today. It’s a Tuesday. Students are found checking emails and chugging coffee, per usual. This morning when I opened TheSkimm to read up on what’s new, I saw the following:

Today marks the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragic events of that day.

Short, sweet, and to the point. I immediately went to check my calendar. When had it become September? Embarrassment washed over me. I felt caught up in my own business that I had not noticed today is 9/11. They say to never forget the day, and yet I did. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Every year, for the past 17 years, our nation presses pause to remember and honor the lives lost in the worst terror attack on U.S. soil. 17 years ago I was four years old. Frankly, I don’t have any memory of that day due to my young age. Even though it’s an event I personally can’t remember, it’s one nobody should ever forget.

My first memory of 9/11 was the year after 2001. All my fellow first grade students and I stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance (as we did every morning). My teacher started to explain we would “take a moment of silence” today. We all looked back and forth at one another in a confused daze. None of us knew what a moment of silence entailed. We were so young.

Our teacher explained that something horrific had occurred in our country one year ago. She explained that some people got seriously hurt and some bad guys did a very bad thing, impacting many families. In layman’s terms, there was a terrorist attack the previous year on this day. As I try to remember 9/11 every year it never fails to dawn on me that the adults in my life had to explain something so tragic and earth shattering to a child. However, every year since I fully grasped what occurred, I take a moment of silence.

Now that I’m in college, a moment of silence isn’t required in the morning. All 50,00 students don’t jointly stand to commemorate the day, as we did in elementary school. Instead, we all have to make a conscious effort to bow our heads and think about the event: 17 years ago today was the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. 17 years ago today America grieved together. We should all take a moment of silence to either remember or try to remember this tragic event, regardless of how busy our rainy day may be.